Improvement in cartridge-belts



V. PLATZ & W. W4 ROGERS.

Cartridge-Belts.

Patented sjat. 24, 1878.

- INVENTORS "masses m N. PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, DC.

VALENTINE PLATZ, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, AND IVILLIAM W. ROGERS, OFUNITED STATES ARMY.

IMPROVEMENT IN CARTRIDGE-BELTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 208,265, datedSeptember 24, 1878; application filed May 20, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, VALENTINE PLATZ, of Indianapolis, county of Marion,and State of Indiana, and WILLIAM W. ROGERS, of United States Army, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements inCartridge- Carriers andwe do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to theaccompanyin g drawings, which form part of this specification.

()nr invention relates to revolving cartrid gebelts, and is designed asan improvement upon Letters Patent No. 197,496, which was grantedDecember 11, 1877, to WV. W. Rogers.

The invention consists in the parts and combination of parts hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

Referring; to the drawing, Figure 1 is a view, in perspective, of theinvention. Fig. 2 represents the same, with the fastening device of theleather belt exposed. Fig. 3 is afront-elevation view of the belt.

The leather belt A, which is to be secured immediately next to the bodyof the wearer, has a series of metallic guides, a, fastened thereto, andprovided each with an anti-friction roller, a, in its lower bodyportion. ithin these guides, and having a bearing upon said rollers, ametallic band, B, is adapted to rotate or revolve in either directionabout the leather belt. If desired, (though the same forms no part ofour invention,) this band may be formed with oblong perforationsthroughout its length, which would serve to make the belt lighter andmore flexible without impairing its strength, while in making the beltthese perforations would preventwhat is termed buckling in working thesteel. This band, preferably made of steel, is dividedinto threetransverse parts, each of which latter is formed without longitudinaldivision. Two of said parts are approximately of the same length, andhave their opposite extremities connected respectively with the ends ofthe third and largest piece. One of the two short pieces, 0,

- is permanently hinged to the large band-piece D, and has alongitudinal slot, 0, extending through part or all the length of itsbody. A clamping device, E, connected with the free end of the secondshortpiece, F, provides means whereby the slotted piece may overlap thelatter to a greater or less extent. This second short piece, F, isconnected to the main bandpiece D by a hinge-joint, (1, having areadilyremovable pintle, d, so that the said parts may be engaged ordisengaged, as desired, the said pintle being prevented from loss bymeans of a small chain, d which secures it to either one of theconnecting bandpieces. This con struction permits the metallic band orcartridge-carrier to be varied in length, taken up, or made of greaterannular dimension, to correspond with the wearer or his wish at anyparticular time. I

The three distinct parts, together with the respectively permanent anddetachable hingejoints, permit the wearer to disconnect the detachablehinge-joint and throw the cartridge-carrier open, so as to obtain accessto the fastening device G of the leather belt.

The permanent hinge-joint 1) causes the two shorter pieces, connectedtogether by the adjusting clamp device, to swing away from the belt andover against the main band-piece, in order to thus permit thebelt-fastening to be reached.

The main band-piece has its two ends made of less width than theremaining body thereof, so that the entire cartridge -carrier can bereadily removed from the supporting-belt by' disconnecting thedetachable hinge-joint and drawing the carrier out over theguard-flanges of one of the metallic guides. Hence, the belt is adaptedfor difierent cartridge-carriers, the same having cartridge-holders ofvarying sizes.

Thus a single supporting-belt might be pro vided with several differentcartridge carriers, each of which is provided with cartridgeholders ofdifferent sizes, so that a carrier having cartridge-holders of theproper size would be selected to be used with the supporting-belt,according to the arm or variety of arm that was desired to be used.

These cartridge-holders H are each made as follows: A spiral spring, h,is secured to a vertical bar, 7;, having horizontal arms I formed I Wm.

emon.

on its extremities, said arms being secured to the cartridge-carrier.

The coils of the spiral spring are rigidly connected together invertical line on the outer side'of the same by means of a metallic bar,I, or other connection, so as to make the spring both firm and durable.These holders are secured to the cartridge-carrier at suitable pointsthereon, and one of them is secured to the adjusting-piece F, in whichposition it performs a double function-besides serving in its usualcapacity as a cartridge-holder, its supportingbar It acts as aguide-loop for the slotted adjusting-piece C as the latter slides to andfro in the space inclosed between it and its connecting band-piece.

Suitable brass loops, or other similar attachments, L, may be secured tothe upper side of the leather belt, which adapt the latter to besuspended and supported, if so desired, by bearing-straps from theshoulders of the wearer.

In use, the belt is readily revolved so as to bring the cartridgessuccessively in front of the right side of the body, where they are mostconvenient, especially for breech-loading guns.

The cartridge-carrier may be made of other metal, but preferably isformed of finely-tempered flexible steel, and is thus adapted to befilled with cartridges and rolled up in compact compass, fortransportation, ready to be inserted in the belt.

The empty cartridge-cases, after being discharged, can be replaced inthe holders, and preserved for recharging, which is a desirable matterwhen metallic shells are used.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desireto secure by Let ters Patent, is-- 1. The combination, with the metalliccartridge-carrier, having suitable cartridge-hold ers, and made in threetransverse sections, each of which latter is formed without longitudinaldivision, of the belt A, having the vertical metallic guides a securedthereto, said guide being provided with anti-friction rollers a,journaled in their lower body portions, substantially as set forth.-

2. The combination, with aleather supportin g-belt, of a metalliccartridgecarrier consisting of a main band-piece and twoadjusting-sections, one of which latter is longitudi nally slotted, andthe other is provided with a bolt or threaded stud and nut, whereby theslotted section may be longitudinally adjusted over the other section,substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In a metallic cartridge-carrier, the adjust in g-piece of the mainband-piece, connected thereto by the detachable hinge-joint mechanism,substantially as set forth.

4. In a metallic cartridge-carrier, the combination, with the mainband-piece, of the two adj Listing-pieces, the latter being respectivelyconnected to opposite ends of the main bandpicce by a permanent and adetachable hin gejoint mechanism, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our handsthis 14th day of May, 1878.

VALENTINE PLATZ. \VILLIAM IV. ROGERS.

\Vitnesscs:

WM. I. Frsnnn, IV. N. SAGE.

